Etymology

The Brown-Driver-Briggs Lexicon gives the meaning of Nephilim as "giants". Many suggested interpretations are based on the assumption that the word is a derivative of Hebrew verbal root n-ph-l "fall". Robert Baker Girdlestone argued the word comes from the Hiphilcausative stem, implying that the Nephilim are to be perceived as "those that cause others to fall down". Adam Clarke took it as a perfect participle, "fallen", "apostates". Ronald Hendel states that it is a passive form "ones who have fallen", equivalent grammatically to paqid "one who is appointed" (i.e., overseer), asir, "one who is bound", (i.e., prisoner) etc. According to the Brown-Driver-Briggs Lexicon, the basic etymology of the word Nephilim is "dub[ious]", and various suggested interpretations are "all very precarious".

Improvements over Exile

The original Exile games used a top-down perspectivetile-based graphical system, effectively displayed as an X-Y axis wherein each tile in the grid was filled by a base graphic and perhaps an item or character icon. Avernum features a 45-degree axonometric display that appears three-dimensional. The game also adds varying terrain height, allowing for more interesting map layouts.

It is licensed for an English language release in the United States by Aurora Publishing which began releasing the series in April 2008. The series follows a bounty hunter called Guy who meets Abel, from the tribe of the Nephilim who live as males during the day as females at night. After Guy learns Abel's secret, Abel is supposed to kill him by tribal law, but instead ends up falling in love.